Agatha Ann Shelava

Agatha Ann Shelava (Aggie) passed away at her home, the Little Sisters of the Poor in Washington, DC, with her daughter, Julia, by her side. Aggie is a child of God and found much strength in her Catholic faith.

Aggie was joyfully welcomed into the world by her parents Michael and Helen Shelava (née Tominosky) in the coal regions of Pennsylvania. She was raised in Minersville, Pennsylvania, and is a 1963 graduate of Nativity B.V.M. High School.

With an adventurous spirit, Aggie left her hometown for New York City with her sister Kathy, where she enjoyed exploring the city and holding various administrative assistant positions with different companies.

Aggie’s pride and joy was her daughter, Julia Shelava French.  As a single mom, she returned to Minersville, where she worked for many years for the Schuylkill Transportation System as an administrative assistant. During her adult years in Minersville, she enjoyed singing in the church choir, participating in the Blue Army, creating various pieces of needlework, trying her hand at photography, and volunteering at school functions.

In her next chapter, “Aggie 2.0,” she moved to Villas, New Jersey, where she greatly enjoyed time by the shore. There she worked in the cleaning industry and as an administrative assistant for a local hospital. In 2016, Aggie moved to the DC area to live closer to her daughter. It was during this time that Aggie reconnected with her “mom-food” cooking, as well as her love for exploring new things like the Kennedy Center and local parks, and helped out with some administrative tasks for the condo association at the community, where she lived for some years.

After a three-month fight against pancreatic cancer, Aggie is survived by her daughter, Julia (Robert French) and her sister Kathryn Shelava Carusone (Vincenzo Carusone).

In addition to her strong faith, Aggie will be remembered for her love of the outdoors; wildlife such as orangutans, eagles, and polar bears; and domestic pets (dogs and cats). When Aggie was not found enjoying time with her family and friends, she was usually enjoying a murder mystery.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to the Little Sisters of the Poor https://www.wesharegiving.org/App/Form/78e4645b-e431-4c01-bbe0-9647bbf8e914

The Northwest Center https://northwestcenter.org/donate/

Project Rachel Ministry https://adw.org/archdiocesan-offices/project-rachel-ministry/

Visitation

Friday, December 19, 2025 | 6:00pm-8:00pm with Rosary & prayers at 6:45pm led by Msgr. Michael Wilson

Saturday, December 20, 2025 | 10:00am-10:45am

Little Sisters of the Poor Breezeway, 4200 Harewood Rd., NE, Washington, DC 20017

Funeral Mass (Fr. Gregory Coan, main celebrant; Msgr. Joseph Ranieri concelebrant)

Saturday, December 20, 2025 | 11:00am

Little Sisters of the Poor Chapel, 4200 Harewood Rd., NE, Washington, DC 20017

A Memorial Mass will take place at a later date in Minersville, PA.  Interment will take place at a later date at Stanislaus Kosta Cemetery #2, Minersville Llewellyn Hwy., Pottsville, PA 17901.